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Drunk Driving

In 2012, 32 million people in the U.S. drove after using drugs or drinking. For drunk driving, New Year’s Day is the worst day of the year, with over half of all fatal crashes involving a drunk driver. It might surprise you that New Year’s Eve doesn’t take the top spot, but it’s after midnight when drinkers leave parties and contemplate doing something very stupid. For anybody struggling with addiction, the risk of relapse is compounded by the possibility that—although not originally intending to drink or use drugs—you decide that you’re sober enough to drive home. If you need to consider whether you’re safe to drive, you probably aren’t. Think that’s extreme? Let’s look at the facts and statistics about drunk and drugged driving. Full Story

No longer are 15-year-olds counting the days until they can get their driver’s license. According to AAA one out of every three teens is just not all that excited about driving and only 44 percent of them get their driver’s license within the first year of eligibility. Just 54 percent of teens get their license before age 18. One aspect of this trend is that it may be contributing to a decade-long decline in drinking and driving among young people, but the problem remains.

With the advent of the holiday season, opportunities to get together with friends and family abound. After-work socials, company parties and friendly gatherings seem to fill the calendar. Unfortunately, highway traffic statistics tell us that during the season of good cheer, the number of people who consume alcohol and then get behind the wheel of their car also goes up. Full Story

Statistics show that the nation is experiencing fewer (though still far too many) traffic deaths connected to drinking and driving. Most often, men are directly responsible for those alcohol-related traffic fatalities. Full Story

A pair of sociologists from the University of California, San Diego has recently released a study in the journal publication Addiction which brings into serious question current standards for alcohol consumption and driving. The study researched linkages between blood alcohol levels and car accident severity and mortality. Study findings strongly suggest that our nation’s currently acceptable blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08% is far from protecting drivers, their passengers and fellow motorists. Full Story

Fines. Jail time. Loss of employment. Loss of license. The penalties for having a DUI are severe and go much farther than marks on a driving record. The penalties for a DUI can last a lifetime in the occupational and emotional levels, beyond even the immediate tragic consequences including injuries or fatalities. Full Story

Heading out for a drive in the summer can be more dangerous than many people realize, due to increased likelihood of drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In fact, the U.S. Department of Transportation says that the summer holidays – Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Independence Day – are second in terms of accidents with injuries or fatal accidents, with Thanksgiving taking first place. During the past decades, the summer holidays have seen a rise in fatal car accidents, and a significant rise in accidents related to alcohol.

Drunk drivers continue to be the cause of thousands of lost lives each year in the U.S., but now several states are taking a closer look at the “hard-core” drunk driver, who typically has a blood alcohol content twice that of the legal limit and has had numerous previous drunk driving offenses.

The following is a cautionary tale about the financial consequences of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs. Although damages to those injured by a drunk driver’s conduct are often covered by the drunk driver’s vehicle insurance, damages are not the only financial considerations. As part of a state’s criminal law scheme, many judges award restitution to a victim who suffers financial loss due to the criminal activity of the defendant. Often, these restitution awards are not covered by insurance policies and must be paid out of the defendant’s own pocket. This is especially problematic when the drunk driver is married and assets are commingled or when the person’s major asset is the home that his family lives in.

As part of state and federal efforts to save lives on the road, drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs who want to “just say no” to a breathalyzer or other sobriety test may face serious penalties. Strict measures for refusing a DUI test are increasing in importance, especially when it comes to punishing repeat offenders, who may be searching for ways to avoid new arrests.

Intervention Topics

The Addiction Primer: Everything You Need to Know to Get Help for a Loved One

A very inexpensive yet indispensable guide for anyone struggling with a loved one's addiction. Chapters on intervention, what to expect from rehab, and information on how addiction impacts the family.

Types of Addiction Intervention

Johnson ModelThe Johnson Model of Intervention is a confrontational approach to drug and alcohol intervention that was introduced in the 1960s. An interventionist leads the family and close friends in this planned confrontation, which is unknown to the addicted individual beforehand.

Invitational ModelTo proceed with the Invitational Model of Intervention, a concerned family member must contact an interventionist about the person with a substance abuse problems. Several family members meet or talk with the interventionist, and plans for the workshop are made. One family member is coached on how to invite the addicted individual to the workshop, although it will take place regardless of whether the individual decides to attend.

Field Model It is an overlay intervention model that includes Johnson model and Invitational Model. It specifically trains to techniques you can use in the field, during the actual intervention, should problems arise, and is best suited for crisis interventions where there is a risk of violence or other critical issues that could sabotage the success of the intervention.

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Addiction Intervention

If you have a loved one who is struggling with alcohol or drug addiction but he or she is resistant to treatment, sometimes the best chance for hope is to have a professional alcohol intervention specialist or drug interventionist work with you and your family to encourage them to get the help they need. Addiction-Intervention is an informal guide to intervention to help you with this process, whether you need a drug intervention specialist, alcohol interventionist, or an intervention specialist for a process addiction such as gambling.